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EP and weaning...

Since we started the EPing thing almost a year ago, I commited to pumping for Emily for 18 months (based on that being an "early" but still reasonable self-weaning time - if she had been able to nurse directly, I would have continued until she weaned herself, of course). I'm still on board with that, definitely, but I want it to be a gradual process for her. She turns 1 year old tomorrow and is still SO into my milk between meals and at night - drinking a total of 20-24 ounces per day, 6-8 of which are overnight...

I'm a very average volume producer - I make just about enough for her each day, sometimes a few extra ounces to throw into the freezer, sometimes I'm pulling a bag out to make it through the night. I only have about 6 5-oz bags in the freezer right now, so there's no extending beyond the time that I pump.

I'm at 5 pumps a day now and when I get a new job and start back to work I'll go down to just 4 pumps a day - waking, lunch, home, and before bed. I've experienced a little drop each time I've dropped a pump, but I've always managed to squeek by. Last week I had to supplement with a little organic whole cow's milk twice (4-oz. each) and she didn't have any adverse reactions at all.

Also, when I begin working I've heard that some daycare providers won't allow any bottles or breastmilk at all after 1. I won't have very long, maybe 2 weeks, once I get the job to make the transition. I really don't want it to be traumatic to Emily...

So I'm looking for some help with transitioning from a bottle to a sippy cup and eventually from my milk to cow's milk. We tried a spill-proof sippy, but it was too hard to get liquid out of - do you think a regular tipping sippy is better for the whole milk to get her used to it? It would just be in addition to my milk now, but I might go to 4 pumps in December as a way to ease into it, even if I'm not working yet...

I feel a bit horrible doing this, but the fact is we're thinking of trying for #2 and at 5 pumps per day my period still hasn't returned, either...

Re: EP and weaning...

After a year, a lot of moms either wean entirely or pump-wean and just nurse when they are together with their kids, so the fact that you're planning to continue pumping 4x per day even after your baby is a year is not something you should feel horrible about! I think you should feel very proud of yourself.

It seems like your big issue is that your baby loooves milk, and you don't want to deny that to her. As long as she will take whole cow's milk in addition to your milk, you won't be shortchanging her. If you run into a situation where your daycare provider refuses to offer breastmilk after age one, you can just let her have cow's milk at daycare and feed her your milk when you're at home. Though honestly I think the best thing to do would be to find a daycare that will feed your child in accordance to your wishes- I wouldn't want to send my kid to a daycare that said no to my milk!

I think the best way to transition from bottle to sippy cup is just to keep offering the sippy cup and try different types of sippy cup,and to give it time. Not all kids are ready to ditch the bottle at 12 months, and my guess is that a slow transition is going to be easiest for all involved.

Re: EP and weaning...

Thanks so much for the reply and the encouragement! I'm going to pick up an easier sippy cup this weekend and start offering her cow's milk more often - not really as a supplement, but just to get her usd to the taste for when the time comes.

I hope to find a day care that won't mind the breastmilk so that Emily's transition away from the bottle can be a little more gradual and not in the midst of something as stressful as starting a new day care - I think the one where my sister works doesn't allow it because they don't want to spend the time feeding from bottles when they have a higher child-to-teacher ration after 1...